The calendar has turned to 2021 and with that, so has the Wisconsin Badger football program.

2020 was not the year we all expected from the Badgers, as a COVID-19 pause, various injuries and a tough schedule held them to a 4-3 (3-3 Big Ten) record.

Related: Position-by-position grades, report card for the Wisconsin Badgers’ 2020 season

But the page is now turned, and Wisconsin fans have reasons to be optimistic about how the team will perform with health, a full offseason and a normal schedule.

Since the season ended I’ve gone through…

The program’s top 10 returning players Where the team’s returning production ranks compared to the rest of the Big Ten Early breakout players, true freshmen to watch Offensive and defensive depth chart previews Notable departures from the program Coaching staff overview, schedule overview

Now we’re ranking the Badgers’ position groups for the 2021 season:

(I will note that this ranking was challenging to put together because even the groups towards the bottom are setting up to be really solid).

13 Defensive tackle

Credit: Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin-Imagn Content Services, LLC

If we’re talking about the position group with the most question marks heading into 2021, defensive tackle easily takes the cake.

We know there’s a really good player at nose tackle in Keeanu Benton, but with Garrett Rand and Isaiahh Loudermilk both gone from the program, the questions at defensive end are legitimate ones.

As things stand today I expect Matt Henningsen and Isaiah Mullens to win the starting jobs.

Henningsen has played 25 games in a Badger uniform and has been a meaningful contributor at the position before, though missed much of the 2020 season due to injury. Mullens, on the other hand, looked the part more than any other backup in his three games of action this year.

Henningsen, Benton and Mullens have a shot to be a really good group, there are just a lot of unknowns about how the unit will perform without Rand and Loudermilk.

As I said above, there is real reason for optimism about every positional group heading into 2021. These rankings were tough to put together, but the groups with the biggest question marks will be the ones you see towards the bottom.

12 Safeties

Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

No Eric Burrell could be a problem for the back end of the Wisconsin secondary this year.

We know that Scott Nelson will be a productive player, though the real questions here come from who will line up next to him.

There’s Collin Wilder, a former transfer from Houston who played in all seven of the Badgers’ games last year. There’s John Torchio, a sophomore who has seven career tackles. And there’s Reggie Pearson, a 2019 starter who wasn’t with the program in 2020.

The safety group was one of the team’s most dependable in 2020 thanks in large part to Burrell. Heading into 2021 the same thing can no longer be said.

11 Kicker

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There are special teamers in this ranking? Absolutely.

Collin Larsh has been the starting placekicker for the Badgers since 2019, two years that have seen him convert 98.7 percent of extra-point attempts and 68 percent of field goals.

Larsh isn’t what people would call an amazing kicker, but he’s dependable from short distance and a fine option at the position.

10 Fullbacks

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Note: position groups 6-10 in this ranking were hard to separate, as all project to be solid in 2021, but not necessarily special.

At fullback the Wisconsin program said goodbye to Mason Stokke after the 2020 season, an absolute stud at the position.

Junior John Chenal now figures to replace Stokke, Chenal having 12 games of experience and some previous flashes of pure fullback dominance.

I mean it’s Wisconsin. You know the fullback position will be ready to go.

9 Punter

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Andy Vujnovich was a breath of fresh air at the position after Anthony Lotti’s struggles in 2019—most notably the dropped snaps against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship and against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Vujnovich averaged more than 41 yards-per-punt in 2020 and aside from a few shanks, he was an absolute field-switching weapon for an offense that really struggled for a stretch of the season.

I, for one, am really excited to watch Vujnovich play in 2021.

8 Cornerbacks

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Despite him having an up-and-down 2020 season, Caesar Williams returning to the Badger secondary is massive news for the position.

The top two options of Williams and Faion Hicks are more-than-serviceable, especially given the two corners’ experience and previous success.

The position is then a deep one behind them with Donte Burton, Deron Harrell and Alex Smith all receiving at least some snaps in 2020.

The group won’t be as effective without Rachad Wildgoose but on a defense that projects to be an exceptional one in 2021, the cornerback position is lining up to have success.

7 Offensive Line

Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Cole Van Lanen and Jon Dietzen’s departures will leave some inexperience on the left side of the line, though in classic Wisconsin fashion the replacements figure to be tremendous ones.

Former five-star recruit Logan Brown should be the team’s left tackle and I project Josh Seltzner to take over at left guard. Then as you move to the right side with Kayden Lyles at center, Logan Bruss at right guard and Tyler Beach at right tackle, nothing indicates the line won’t again be one of the team’s best units.

If there’s one player to watch as the season approaches it’s Brown, a guy who game in against Wake Forest and showed what made him a five-star recruit.

6 Quarterback

(AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Even though I see QB Graham Mertz taking massive strides forward in 2021 and becoming one of the conference’s best at the position, 2020 provided enough questions to have the position ranked outside the top five.

Badger fans know the story with Mertz: a perfect Week 1, tremendous Week 2 and a challenging final five weeks.

For more on Mertz’s 2020 campaign and what he will need to work on this offseason, see my film review of his performances against Iowa and against Indiana.

I think he’ll be great in 2021 with a healthy offense and a full offseason to prepare. But the final five groups are sure things for 2021 Badgers and I can’t put the quarterback position in that group quite yet.

5 Running Backs

Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Jalen Berger is an absolute stud at the position (and still with a lot of growth yet to happen) but it’s the lack of depth behind him that keeps the RB group out of the top three.

We know Berger will likely be the team’s three-down back and handle the majority of the carries. But there really aren’t any names behind him that are proven things at the college level. There’s a lot of potential there, but it’s anyone’s guess who becomes the No. 2 entering the season.

But at the top, this position is as good as any.

4 Wide Receivers

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Depth, experience and talent. That’s what defines the Badgers’ 2021 wide receiver core.

Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor deciding to return for a final season was make-or-break news for Wisconsin, as neither of the two were able to stay health all of 2020 and the offense really struggled as a result.

You want a glimpse of what the offense could look like? See Week 1 against Illinois.

Mertz will have the Davis and Pryor duo, underclassman Chimere Dike who has flashed real potential, senior Jack Dunn, underclassman Devin Chandler and an impressive group of Markus Allen and Skyler Bell entering the program.

It’s weird to say about a Wisconsin team, but they are loaded at wide receiver entering 2021.

3 Outside Linebackers

Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

If there’s one player I expect to take a gargantuan step forward in 2021 it’s OLB Nick Herbig.

Not only did he flash sky-high potential and become the team’s best pass-rushing threat at the position as only a true freshman, but Herbig made Badger fans optimistic about what the defense will look like for the next four years.

The dependable Noah Burks is back for a final season on the opposite side and both C.J. Goetz and Spencer Lytle figure to be more-than-capable backups.

For what this position will look like next year, see the Badgers’ overtime victory over Minnesota. In the two plays below, Burks and Herbig pretty much singlehandedly won Wisconsin the football game.

The depth is there, the talent is there and the group is only improving. Expect a big year from the OLBs in 2021.

2 Tight Ends

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

And here we are, the two position groups that will be the best on the field for the 2021 Wisconsin Badgers. Oh, and it happens to be that these two positions are the ones with clear-cut NFL players.

At tight end Jake Ferguson decided to forgo the NFL Draft and stay another year. First, he was the best player on Wisconsin’s 2020 offense. Second, his presence will be what helps Mertz reach the next level.

Sophomore Hayden Rucci will eventually be the next in line, but Ferguson is a clear NFL-caliber talent and is the reason the tight end position is in a No. 2.

1 Inside Linebackers

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You probably guessed No. 1 on this list would be the inside linebackers.

Jack Sanborn, like Ferguson, opted to forgo the NFL draft and stay for 2021. Him and Chenal will both be playing on Sundays in the near future, but for now they form arguably the country’s best inside linebacking core.

Their combined numbers in 2020? 98 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles.

We know Jim Leonhard’s defense utilizes inside linebackers in impressive ways, but here you’re pairing Leonhard’s scheme with tremendous players. The inside linebackers will again be the team’s best next season.